“‘They have ruined France; come, my dear general, put yourself at the head of this cavalry, and vigorously push the English rearguard.’ “The Emperor never quitted the head of column of the advance-guard, and was even engaged in a charge of cavalry in debouching from Genappe.” Says the author of “Napoléon à Waterloo,”—an officer of artillery of the Guard, who was near the Emperor throughout the campaign:—[492] “One must needs have been a witness of the rapid march of this army on the day of the 17th,—a march which resembled a steeplechase rather than the pursuit of an enemy in retreat,—to get an idea of the activity which Napoleon knew how to impress upon his troops when placed under his immediate command. Six pieces of the horse-artillery of the Guard, supported by the headquarters squadrons, marched in the first line, and vomited forth grape upon the masses of the enemy’s cavalry, as often as, profiting by some accident of ground, they endeavored to halt, to take position, and retard our pursuit. The Emperor, mounted on a small and very active Arab horse, galloped at the head of the column;[493] he was constantly near the pieces, exciting the gunners by his presence and by his words, and more than once in the midst of the shells and bullets which the enemy’s artillery showered upon us.” There was a smart skirmish at Genappe. The 7th English regiment of hussars was injudiciously ordered to charge the French lancers, and was beaten back. Then the pursuing French, in mounting the hill behind the town of Genappe, were ridden down by the 1st Life Guards. During the whole afternoon the rain fell in torrents, and there was a severe storm of thunder and lightning. Very possibly the bad weather may have favored the retiring army. The retreat of the English was continued to the position to the south of the hamlet of Mont St. Jean, where the battle of the next day was fought. FOOTNOTES: [448] See his despatch to Ney, of the 17th, cited above; p. 191. [449] Siborne, vol. 1, p. 255. [450] Jomini, p. 148. [451] See Ney’s letter to the Duke of Otranto; Jones, 386. [452] See Charras’ very apposite remarks on this: vol. 1, p. 234. [453] Doc. Inéd., XVII, pp. 45, 47; App. C, xxvii.; _post_, pp. 384, 385. [454] See _ante_, p. 191. [455] Charras, vol. 1, p. 235, n. [456] La Tour d’Auvergne, p. 214. See also, pp. 208 and 233. [457] One division of the 6th Corps, that of Teste, was detached, and added to Grouchy’s command. [458] Doc. Inéd., XVI, p. 44; App. C, xxviii; _post_, pp. 385, 386. [459] Maurice, p. 350; July, 1890: citing Clausewitz, ch. 33, p. 76. Gneisenau, vol. 4, p. 386. [460] Maurice, pp. 350, 354: July, 1890. [461] But see Maurice, pp. 350, 351: July, 1890. He thinks that the troops of the two beaten corps must at first have retreated northward,—that is, across the turnpike, in the direction of Wavre.